OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Nebraska Barons are heading to the Wheelchair Softball World Series later this month.
This sport provides athletes with disabilities a chance to compete at a high level.
- The Barons have won 13 Wheelchair Softball World Series titles since 2003.
- Whether the athletes were born with a disability or became disabled later in life, they still have shared experiences and use softball as an outlet.
- According to the CDC, 12.2% of U.S. adults have a physical disability.
- If you’d like to learn more about the Barons and wheelchair softball, here are some links to resources:
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Whether they were born with a disability or became disabled later in life, the Nebraska Barons have a lot in common.
“The fire to compete, the fire to enjoy competition, the fire to play doesn’t go away,” Barons coach Bruce Froendt said.
For this team, wheelchair softball is an outlet.
Outfielder Josh Maier, who was born with spina bifida, has always had a competitive side.
He’s played multiple adaptive sports over the years, including wheelchair basketball, wheelchair football, track and field and more. Maier has played wheelchair softball for 18 years, beginning with the Junior Barons.
“I’m competitive with myself… probably more than I’m competitive with anybody else,” he said. “The inner desire to be better than I was at something. If I don’t know something now, I want to learn it and be better at it.”
Fellow outfielder Brent Rasmussen lost his left leg after being hit by a car in 2002.
He’s played for the Barons since their first Wheelchair Softball World Series championship in 2003. He also has played on Team USA’s sitting volleyball team, including in the 2004 Paralympics.
Before the incident, he played baseball at Omaha and even had a stint in the Royals farm system.
“Whether it’s being in the hospital for long periods of time or been through a bad accident, the team without talking about your accident really helps get you… get back to competition, feeling like a normal athlete,” Rasmussen said.
Not only are the Barons teammates, they’re part of a support system.
“It’s been the biggest blessing ever just to be able to have this community,” Maier said.
The Barons were runners up in the 2024 Wheelchair Softball World Series in Nebraska, losing to the team from Minnesota.
This year the tournament is in Minnesota, so the Barons are hoping to get revenge in the Gopher State and win their first title since 2021.
